Financial Support

Financial support for graduate study at UC Davis is available in several forms: Financial Aid, Teaching and Research Assistantships, Fellowships, Scholarships, and Grants. There are different procedures for applying for each type of financial assistance. It is essential that you apply as early as possible for financial support.

University Fellowships and Scholarships

Fellowships and graduate scholarships of various kinds are available to new as well as to continuing graduate students. In general, citizens of the United States and permanent resident aliens are eligible for these awards.

These are awarded once per year for the following year based on academic merit. Applications are available online. Final date for filing applications is usually January 15.

NOTE: Graduate students who are US citizens, permanent residents or immigrants are required to file a "Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA) as early as possible, but no later than March 1. This form, submitted directly to the Federal Student Aid Program Office, Iowa City, Iowa, is used to determine financial need only. Financial need is a component of the eligibility criteria for many fellowships, and for all forms of financial aid. The FAFSA may be obtained online or from the Financial Aid Office. If you need advice or information concerning federal financial aid call 752-9246 or send email to gradfinaid@ucdavis.edu

Teaching and Research Assistantships

Teaching assistantships are available through the departments teaching the specified undergraduate courses. The Animal Science Department has a large number of teaching assistantships during the fall and winter quarters. However, individual graduate student backgrounds vary and serving as a teaching assistant in courses offered by Biological Sciences will fit some students better. Individual departments have different application forms and deadlines. The Animal Science form is available and the priority deadline is March 1.

Information and application materials for Teaching Assistantships are also available from the department in which you wish to teach. Graduate Studies has a listing of openings for TAs and RAs that is available online.

Department of Animal Science Fellowships

Students whose major professor is a faculty member in the Department of Animal Science are eligible to apply for department fellowships. The application process is to provide a printed copy of the completed Continuing Academic Graduate Student Internal Fellowship application, deadline is January 15th, to the department assistant (Graduate Program Coordinator) also by January 15th. Most department fellowships are used to fund students during summer months.

Required application materials:

Copy of Continuing Student Internal Fellowship

Unofficial transcripts from previous schools

3 Letters of Recommendation, can be taken from your fellowship application. If outside of Animal Biology or Avian Sciences Graduate Groups, please have your Graduate Group Coordinator to forward those letters to Jennie Buse at 1249 Meyer Hall or by email to jlbuse@ucdavis.edu. Within these two groups, Jennie will pull and attach to your application.

Jastro Shields Graduate Research Scholarship

The program makes awards to students with outstanding research proposals who are either in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences or who are working with a major professor with an appointment to the Agricultural Experimental Station. Awards are available in the summer. Applications are usually due in spring quarter. The amount of the award is based upon the allocation given to the group by the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Graduate Student Travel Awards

Graduate Studies accepts applications for graduate travel to meetings of nationally and internationally recognized professional societies twice annually. Each award period allows nine months for future conferences and three months for conferences that have already taken place.

Spring application deadline: Applications for travel during the period of January 1 through December 31, 2018 are due to the graduate programs by March 15, 2018. Awards will be announced the week of May 14, 2018.

Fall application deadline: Applications for travel during the period of July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 are due to graduate programs by October 15, 2018. Awards will be announced the week of December 17, 2018.

Work Study

Graduate Studies has allocated Federal Work-Study (FWS) awards to graduate programs to be used for Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) positions each academic year. A call for Work Study need will be made to Faculty once a year and based upon the allocation received, units will be assigned to the awarded students.

To be eligible to receive FWS award, a student must be a US citizen and/or a permanent resident who qualifies for need-based financial aid. Students must have filed a Free Application for Federal Student AID (FAFSA). For more information, see the Graduate Studies Work Study page.

Graduate Studies

Graduate Studies has more information about funding opportunities on their web site.